The present invention relates to wall storage systems typically employed in open plan office spaces which enable the building occupant to custom design a floor plan to meet the specific needs of the occupant. In accordance with this invention, a unique wall system is provided which utilizes prefabricated and wholly self-contained modular base components and storage components which can be installed with minimum labor and installation cost, and which can be rearranged as desired with similar labor and cost benefits.
It is known to design open office floor plans utilizing so-called "systems furniture" which permits rearrangement and restructuring without the time consuming effort of tearing down and rebuilding the otherwise "permanent" walls. For example, it is known to utilize storage components as interior walls, where all such components have a standardized height, with a clerestory extending from the top of the storage wall to the ceiling. Such systems, however, have required on-site assembly and construction of most if not all components of the wall system. In addition, the system is not modularized so that replacement of any individual section of the wall system required time consuming dismantling and reconstruction, particularly since individual units shared adjacent side walls and horizontal members extended a considerable length along the wall system.
In accordance with the present invention, a factory constructed set of modular elements, wholly self-contained, are provided which create a built-in appearance, but which allow for minimum on-site installation labor and hence cost. In addition, the wall system in accordance with the present invention permits subsequent changes in configuration with similar savings in labor and cost.
It is therefore a principal feature of the present invention that the wall system comprise modular base components for supporting a like of modular storage components, each being self-contained and structurally self-sufficient.
It is another feature of the present invention to permit the installation and reconfiguration of the modular wall system independent of the electrical installation. In other words, the modular base components allow a full modular electrical and electronic office wiring program to pass therethrough independent of any installation, removal or replacement of one or more modular storage components. Accordingly, the system in accordance with this invention allows replacement of individual storage components without replacement of the associated base components, and therefore without rewiring or interruption of electrical service, and/or the need for the services of electricians.
It is another feature of the invention to provide modular storage components which include hang-on panels on the "back" side of the storage components for an attractive built-in appearance in those instances where the components are visible from the front or back.
It is another feature of the present invention to provide a set of modular storage components for a built-in configuration which permits the utilization of clerestory elements which complete the floor-to-ceiling appearance.
It is another feature of the present invention to provide a factory constructed set of modular base and storage components which are built in accordance with standardized modular dimensions calculated to fit standard building lay-out grids.
In accordance with one exemplary embodiment of the invention, therefore, a modular base component is provided which includes four self-leveling leg structures secured to an upper supporting surface. Each base component also includes front and rear (optional) cover plates to provide an attractive appearance, but the otherwise out-of-view side areas of the base components are left open to permit the passage of communications and/or electrical cables beneath and along a plurality of adjacent base components. In an alternative embodiment, a welded frame construction is used for the base component.
In further accord with this exemplary embodiment of the invention, modular storage components are provided, each of which includes a bottom wall, a top wall, two side walls and a back wall. From this basic storage component structure, various unit configurations are possible including clothing storage units, adjustable shelf units, file drawer units, bookshelf units and the like, with or without forward facing access doors. In each case, however, the storage component is prefabricated at the factory as a structurally self-sufficient component, having substantially uniform exterior dimensions.
At the site of installation, the required number of base components are aligned in side-by-side relationship, with communications and/or electrical cables beneath the base components and extending through the open side areas thereof. Individual storage components are then mounted or stacked on the respective base components and are fastened to the base components and to adjacent storage components with a minimum number of fasteners. It is preferred that the fastener locations for all components be identical and symmetrical so that one or more individual components can be reversed i.e., rotated so that users on both sides of the storage wall may, if desired, have access to one or more of the storage components.
Dimensions for the base components and modular storage components are to be substantially uniform for any given project or installation, with exceptions noted. Initially, however, it will be helpful if the dimensions are first defined for purposes of this application. Depth refers to the front-to-back dimension width refers to the far left side-to-far right side dimension; and height refers to the top-to-bottom dimension.
Depth and height dimensions in preferred arrangements will be uniform for any given project or installation, but may change from project to project based on available space, etc. The width dimensions, however, may be uniform or may vary within a single installation, as will be explained in further detail herein.
In a preferred arrangement, the base components and storage components are located so as to be centered with respect to ceiling grids or tracks to permit the further installation of a clerestory between the storage components and the ceiling grid or track as desired.
Thus, in accordance with one exemplary embodiment of the invention, a modular storage wall system is provided which comprises a plurality of prefabricated modular base components having, for any given project or installation, substantially uniform depth and height dimensions, each base component including a plurality of support legs and a top surface for supporting a wall component thereon, the base components further being configured to permit passage of cables therethrough; a plurality of prefabricated modular storage components, also having substantially uniform depth and height dimensions, the depth and width dimensions of the storage components being substantially identical to the depth and width dimensions of the modular base components; and fastening means for releasably securing said storage components to an underlying base component and to adjacent storage components, such that any one of the storage components can be removed without disturbing any other of the storage components or any of the base components.
In another aspect of the invention, the modular storage base component is provided which includes a free-standing, rectangular base component for supporting a storage component, the base component comprising a rectangular top wall mounted on four, self-leveling legs located at four corners of the top wall; and a first removable front cover extending between forward facing surfaces of a first forward pair of the legs. A second removable rear cover extending between rearward facing surfaces of a second rearward pair of the legs may be utilized.
Additional objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a detailed description of the invention which follows.